Electric railway.



Patented May l3; I902.

c. KINTNER. ELECTRIC RAILWAY. (Application filed May a. 1901.

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No. 700,!28. Patented May l3, I902. C. J. KINTNEB.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY (Application filed M16, 1901.}

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 J trdTT No. 700,|28.' Patented May I3,I902.

6. J. KINTNEB.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

[Application filed May 6. 1901.-

5 Sheets-Shut No Model.)

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No. 700,023. Patented ma I3, I902.

c. J. KINT'NER'.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.- A lication flied m a, 1901.

5 sheets-sheet 5.

(No Model.)

THE Nonms nmns 00.. wow-mum WASHINGT I -UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES J. KINTNER, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY;

, SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 700,128, dated May13, 1902.

Application filed May 6,190].

a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, borough ofManhattan, county and State of New York, have made a new and usefulInvention in Electric Railways, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention is directed particularly-to improvements insectional-third-railsystems of electric railways, and has for itsobjects, first, to provide a system of this type in which the sectionalthird rails or conductors normally disconnected from the current feederor mainare automatically'connected'to and disconnected from the same'asa car passes over the route and in such manner that either rear or frontend collisions are avoided second, to provide an electric-railway systemwith means for avoiding collisions at switches or side tracks wheretrains pass each other; third,

. to provide an electricrailway system with means'for preventing a carfrom approaching within a definite distanoeifrom either end of adraw orturn bridge when the latter is moved from its normal or closed position;fourth,- to provide an electric-railway system with means for preventinga draw or turn bridge from being moved from its normal or closedposition after acar has approached within a definite distance fromeither end thereof;

.fifth, to provide an electric-railway system with means for preventingcollisions at the crossing-point of intersecting tracks and in suchmanner that when a car approaches within a definite distance of thecrossing no other car can approach the same crossing upon either trackin any direction until the firstnamed car has passed a definite distancebeyond the crossing; sixth, to provide an electric-railway system of thesectional-third-rail type with circuitsclosing rails or contacts locatedat the adjoining ends of the sectional third rails or conductors and onopposite sides thereof, together with circuit connections runningtherefrom to switching-electromagnets and a reversible trolley roller orshoe adapted to automatically efiect the proper circuit connections forthe sectional third rails or conductors when running in eitherdirection; seventh, to provide novel means for preventing abnormalarcing at the ends of the rails of a sectional-third-rail system and inSerial No. 58,923. (No model!) the switch-boxes at the terminals wherethe third rails are connected to and disconnected from the currentfeeder or main; eighth, to provide the sectional third rails of athirdrail system of electric railways with insulators and side timbers,carried also by the in-v Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of my novelsystem, showing also'a car passing thereover from left to right. Fig. 2is a similar diagrammatic view illustrating also the novel manner ofavoiding collisions at a siding from the main track where trains passeach other and of avoiding accidents at a draw or turn bridge, saidbridge being shown in dotted lines In par- 1 tial open position, all ofthe conductors passing under the river being also illustrated in dottedlines, that part of the third rail carried by the bridge being shown ina full line. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating two crossingtracks of tram-rails and two powerhouse generators or sources ofelectrical energy therefor, illustrating also the manner of preventingcollisions at the point of intersection of the tracks. Fig. 4 is asectional view through one of the third rails, the body of one of theinsulators which support the third rails, the guard-rails therefor, theconductors of the system, and all of the switch-boxes, one of the latterand its supporting-bracket being also shown in end elevational view,this view being taken on the broken line 00 00, Fig. 5, and as seenlooking thereat from left to right in the direction of the arrows. Fig.5 is a plan view of all of the features illustrated in Fig. 4, exceptthe trolley. Fig. 6 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view of theswitch-box and its box-like cover, illustrating in plan view theyielding conducting-terminals, the switch operating and releasingelectromagnets and circuit connections within the switch-box, togetherwith a hand switch-operating lever for manually connecting the currentfeeder or main to either of the corresponding third rails. Fig. 6 is adetail secroof tional View of a part of the top of the switchbox and thebox-like cover therefor, illustrating also the manner of efiectuallysealing the switch box against the admission of water thereto. Fig. 7 isa diagrammatic view illustrating my novel manner of preventing abnormalarcing at the ends of adjoining third rails of a sectional-third-railsystem and also at the switching-terminals in one of the switchboxesthereof, a car being shown in diagrammatic View passing from left toright; and Fig. 8 is a similar diagrammatic view of a modified form ofthis part of my invention in which the major portion of thecurrent-varying apparatus is carried by the car.

It is to be noted that I have illustrated the tram-rails and all of theconductors of the system which convey the workingcurrent to the motorson board the cars in heavy black lines and all of the switch operatingand signaling circuits which convey the current to theswitch-controlling in aguets and to the signals in light black lines.Referring now to the drawings in detail, in all of which like lettersand numerals of reference represent like or equivalent parts whereverused, and first to Fig. 1, c represents the current feeder or mainconnected to the positive pole of the power-house generator, (notshown,) and i one of the tram-rails connected to the other or negativepole thereof. r r, &c., represent the sectional third rails orconductors of the system normally disconnected from the current feederor main and connected at each end by conductors 2 2 to yieldingconducting-terminals s s, the, of the switches, ffff, 850., beingswitch-operating magnets for causing the yielding terminalss s to beconnected directly with the current feeder or main throughlocking-armatures 17 17, &c., by short branch conductors 1 1, &c. Theelectromagnets ff, &c., are included in branch circuits 3 3, connectedeach at one end to a short circuit-closing rail or contact 5, locatednear the ends of the adjoining third rails 'r r and on opposite sidesthereof, the other ends of said circuits being connected directly to thetram-rail or return-conductor t. 7 7 7 7 are pairs of signaling andreleasing conductors, connected each at one end directly to one of thethird rails r and at the other end to a coil around one core of areleasing-magnet 15, said magnet being located at the distant ends ofthe adjacent third rails. 18 in each instance is a signal or lamp in amultiple branch circuit. m represents the motor on board the car. 16 16represent the train-wheels of the car, and 4 a conductor running fromthe motor to a reversible trolley 14, provided with a single flange 23.(See Fig. 4.)

The operation of the system is as follows:

Suppose the car to be traveling from left to right in the direction ofthe arrow and the system to be divided into sections between the pointsA, B, O, and D, equal in length to the corresponding sectional thirdrails r r 0'. Un-

der this condition of affairs current is fiow- I ing from the currentfeeder or main at the point B by the branch conductor 1,.lockingarmature17, yielding conducting-terminal s, branch conductor 2, third rail 1' tothe trolley 14, by conductor 4 to-the motor, thence through the wheels16 of the car to the tramrail 6 and to the negative pole of thegenerator, thus furnishing current to move the car in the directionshown. At the same time current flows by the signaling and releasingconductor 7 to the rear in the direction of the arrows to thereleasing-electromagnet 15 at the point A at the distant end of theadjoin ing third-rail section, thence to the tram-rail t and to thenegative pole of the generator. Current is also flowing through the lamp18, thusindicating danger at that point. ditional circuit is also closedfrom the right- An ad hand end of the third rail 1', over which thetrolley 14 is moving, by the signaling and releasing conductor 7 in thedirection of the arrows to the distant end of the next section inadvance, through the releasing-magnet 15 at the point D, and alsothrough the lamp 18, indicating danger at that point.

It will thus be apparent, therefore, that during the time the car ispassing over the section upon which the trolley 14 is now seen, betweenthe points B and C, no car can receive current from the section in therear nor can any car coming in the opposite direction receive currentfrom the section in advance, owing to the fact that both of thelocking-armatures 17 at the points A and D are held in their upper orreleased positions,- as shown,- and out of the paths of the free ends ofthe yielding conducting-terminals s. It will also be apparent thatdanger-signals 18 will be displayed, as shown. As the car advances tothe beginning of the next section the flange 23 of the trolley 14 closesthe circuit between the third rail 1 and the correspondingcircuit-closing rail or contact 5, thereby conveying current through theright-hand conductor 3,- magnet f, to the tram-rail or return-condoctor15, thus operating the right-hand yielding conducting-terminal s at thepoint C and causing it to be drawn into its hooked or I locked positionat the right-hand end of lock-.

ing-armature 17. At the same time circuits are closed through thesignaling and releasing conductors 7, connected with the third rail rbetween the points 0 and Din each direction, releasing the terminalsfrom behind the armature 17 at the point B and displaying thedanger-signals in the rear and advance, as before. As the car advances,therefore, each sectional third rail in the rear and in advance of thatover which it is passing will be rendered dead or inert so long as saidcar remains upon the section, and danger-signals will be displayed atthe opposite ends of the adjacent sections. It will also be noted thatall of the conductors of the system, except the current feeder or main,are normally.

, only those conductors have electrical current potential which areconnected to the current- In order to run cars in a reverse directionover the same track, it is only required to reverse the reversibletrolley 14, so that the flange 23, shown in its reversed position indotted lines, (see Fig. 4,) will pass between the circuit-closing railsor contacts 5 on the other side of the third rails 1", (see Fig. 1,) soas to thereby close the circuit through the switching-magnet f. It willalso be apparent that because of the-fact of the switch-releasingmagnets 15 being energized byindependent coils connected with signalingand releasing conductors 7 running-in 'opposite directions no sectionalconductor can ever be left-closed after a car has passed into thenextsection, either in advance or in the rear, it

being understood that each individual coil has the capacity toeffectually saturate the entire core of the magnet.

and G the application of my invention in con-- nection with a sidetrack, wherecars may pass eachother, and also in connection with a drawor turn bridge, showing how collisions and'accidents are avoided atthese places. (1 represents a single side-track rail,corresponding tothe tram-rail t, and e the side-track third 'rail,only one tram-railbeing shown both in Figs. 1 and 2 for the purpose of avoidingunnecessary complication of the drawings.

In this figure of thedrawings, which is in ef-- feet a continuation ofthe system shown in- Fig. 1, only three-sections are shown, there beingthree sets of spring-terminals s 8, three pairs of switch-operatingmagnets f f, and three releasing-magnets 15 and signals or lamps18,correspondin g thereto, the side track and the draw or turn bridgebeingincluded in the third section between the points F and G. Thecircuit connections to the switching magnets, the yieldingconducting-terminals, releasingrmagnets, and the signals 18 are thesame-as illustrated in Fig. 1, except that I provide additional circuitconnections for that section between the points F and G, embracing theside track and draw or turn bridge, as will now be described. Referringnow'to the section between F and G, d represents, as before stated, thetram-rail for the siding, and e the corresponding third railtherefor. 55 are circuit-closing rails or contacts near the center of the sidingand similar to the corresponding circuit-closing rails or contacts 5 5,referred to in connection with Fig. 1, except that both of saidcircuit-closing rails or contacts are connected directly to a singlesafety and signaling conductor 9, running in opposite directions toindependent coils around one leg of the coreof each of thereleasing-electromagnets 15 and thence to the tram-rail orreturn-conductor 2?, 19-19 being special electric lamps or signalingdevices included in the circuit or conductor 9. b represents in dottedlines a draw or turn bridge, and r in full lines that section of thethird rail between the points F and G which is carried or sustained bythe bridge, the opcontinuous third-rail section betweenF and- G. It willbe understood, of course, that corre sponding tram rails are carried bythe bridge and that the ends of the tram-rails t on oppo-- site sides ofthe river or spaces to be bridged, together with the current feeder ormain 0, the signaling and releasing conductors 7, 7, and 9, areconnected together by corresponding conductors and all inclosed in acable 10- cated in the bed of the river, the parts of said conductors solocated being all indicated in dotted'lines. k is a two-armedsnap-switch having its pivot-point connected by a conductor .11 directlyto the current feeder or main 0 and its free end adapted to make contactwith either of two contacting plates'12, connected directly to aconductor 13, which in turn is connected to the safety and signalingconductor 9, the arrangement being'such that when the bridge is closedthecontacting part of the switch it rests in a central position withrelation to the two contacts 12 and out of contact with both. itrepresents a switchoperating pin carried at one end of the bridge,

and 11 is a locking notch or catch in the other" end thereof, adapted toreceive the hookedend of an armature-lever h when the bridge is closed,said armature-lever being under the control of an electromagnet g,included in a branch circuit 10 between the third rail' 1" and thetram-rail or return-conductor t. j

is an alarm or signal,here shown as a tapbell located in a derivedcircuit to the mag net g, adapted to ring or be displayed continuouslywhen the third-rail section between the points F and G is connected tothe cur-' eration of these features of the invention" is 'tion betweenthe-points F and G. The'op-' as follows, referring first to, the draw.or turn bridge: Suppose thebridge attendant to be turning the bridgefrom left to right in the direction of the hands of a watch, as shown bythe arrow. At the instant that the ends of that part of the sectionalthird rail '1 carried by the bridge left the contact-plates pp the'pinn, carried at the left-hand end of the bridge, acted upon the upper orleft-hand arm of thetwo-armed switch 7e, causing it to be snapped in tothe position shown with its free orv contacting end upon the lowercontactplate 12. Consequently the circuit was closed from the currentfeeder or main 0 by the branch conductorll, switch contact-plate 12,branch conductor 13, safety and signaling conductor 9 in oppositedirections to the coil around one leg of the core of each of thereleasing-electromagnets 15 at the points F and G, thereby causing thelocking-armatures 17 at these points to be held in their upper or openpositions, as shown, at the same time displaying danger-signals 19 19 ofa special character at the points F and G. Consequently should a caradvance in either direction toward the points F or G dangersignals willbe seen; but should the motorman fail to note the signal no current willbe received from either end of the sectional third rail 0' when the carpasses the switch at F or G for the reason that the locking-armatures 17at both points are held out of operative relation with the yieldingconducting-terminals .9. Therefore the car will stop for lack ofcurrent. On returning the bridge to its normal or closed position thepin 11 acts upon the lower or right-hand arm of the snap-switch 7c andinterrupts the circuit at the point 12 at the instant that part of thesectional third rail 1 carried by the bridge completes the circuit atthe plates 1) p, so as to make the third rail connections. Consequentlythe locking-armatures 17 between F and G will be restored to theirnormal positions and the danger-signals 19 will cease to give indicationof danger. In the event of a car passing the switch next adjacent to thebridge on either side thereof when the latter is open it will of coursebe understood that after the bridge is closed it will be necessary tooperate in the proper direction the manual circuit-closing switch foundin each of the switch-boxes and illustrated in Fig. 7. This will beeffected by taking hold of the switch-handle and moving it, say, to theright or the left, dependent upon the direction in which the car ismoving, until the proper spring-terminal s is hooked up behind itslocking-armature 17. The car may then proceed. Should the bridge berotated in a reverse direction, the switch 70 would obviously close thecircuit in a manner already described, its free end then contacting withthe upper contact-plate 12. The bridge being closed, suppose now that acar enters the section between F and G in either direction. The flangeof the trolley, acting in the manner described, will close the circuitthrough the closing rail or contact 5 and conductor 3 to .the properswitch-operating magnet f and connect the sectional third rail 0" to'thecurrent feeder or-main. When this is effected, current will flow fromthe third rail 1" between the points F and G, through the branchconductor 10, electromagnet g, to the tram-rail or return-conductor t,causing the hooked armature lever h to lock the bridge in its normalposition, so that the attendant cannot interfere with it after the carhas once entered the section. At the same time the tap-bell j will givea continuous warning of the fact thatacar has entered within thedanger-line and that an attempt should not be made to move the bridge.This tap-bellj will obviously continue to ring so long as the sectionalthird rail 1' between the points F and Gv is connected with the currentfeeder or main, and the hooked armaturelever 7L will also hold thebridge in locked position until the car passes out of the section andreleases the spring-terminal s,through which circuit connection had beeneffected to the current feeder or main.

Suppose it is desired to have two trains pass each other at the siding dbetween F and G. The first train to arrive upon the section between Fand G will of course maintain control of that section and of thesections-in the rear and in advance, as already indicated in connectionwith Fig. 1. When it reaches the siding d, it will be switched in theusual way upon said siding, and as it passes the center thereof theflange 23 of the trolley 14, passing in either direction willmomentarily close the circuit between the siding trolley-rail e byconductor 9 to the releasing-magnets 15 15 at the points F and G,thereby causing the locking-armatures 17 to release the springterminalwhich had connected the section to the current feeder or main. This willbe effeeted momentarily as the car passes by the circuit-closing railsor contacts 5 by its mementum. It will of course be seen that thedanger-signals at the point E and at the point on the right of the pointG (not shown) will at once he returned to safety, and any car at eitherof these points may now advance and pass the first-mentioned car on themain track.

Referring now to Fig. 3, I will describe how collisions are avoided inmy novel system at the crossings of two lines of railways. In thisfigure of the drawings the two lines of tramrails t 25 are showncrossing each other, and one set of tram-rails is connected to the poleof the power-house generator 21, the pole thereof being connected to thecurrent feeder or main 0 for that system. The other line of rails isconnected to the pole of a second power-house generator 22, the pole ofwhich is connected to a current feeder or main 0 for that system. Thewiring of each system with relation to its special powerhouse generator,current-feeder, switchingmagnets, releasing-magnets, third rails, andsignaling devices is identically the same as 1s shown in Fig. l of thedrawings. It will be noted, however, that where the tracks cross eachother the tram-rails are mechan-' ically and electrically united, as arealso the third rail sections, the arrangement being such that when anycar passes into the crossing section the circuit connections in thefront and the rear of thefcarare such that dangersignals will bedisplayed at the distant ends ofthetwo'adjacent sections upon thatsystem and also at the distant ends of the two adjacent. sections uponthecrossing system. In the first system, connected to the powerhousegenerator 21, I. have lettered the sections A, B, O,- and .D, and in thesecond system, connected to the power-house generator 22, thecorresponding sections are lettered E, F, G, and H. A car is'showndiagrammatically on the right in the first system, with its motor mconnected to thecar-wheels 16, the trolley 14 resting upon theright-hand end of the crossing third-rail sectional conductor r,

which is united, as will be seen, with the other crossing sectionalthird-rail conductor 1", as

locking-armature 17.

illustrated bya circle at the center of the crossing tracks. When thecar passed the point C, movingin the direction ofthe arrowfrom right toleft, the flange 23 of the trolley 14 closed the circuit between thethird rail 1' of the section between G andD and the circuit-closing railor contact 5 by conductor 3 through switch-operating magnet f, thuscausing the yielding terminal 8 to be drawn into its locked position, asshown, with'its free end behind the Consequently acircuit was closedfrom the power-house generator 21 by the current feeder or main 0 to thepoint C by the branch conductor'l, through the locking-armature 17,yielding terminal 8, branch conductor 2 to the sectional third rail 0",between the points B and C, thence through the trolley 14; conductor 4,to the.

motor 1%, car-wheels l6, and tram-rails t to the power-house generator.At the same time the circuit was closed to the rear from the yieldingterminal 3 by a conductor 7 in the direction of the arrows to thereleasingelectromagnet 15 at the point D and also to the lamp or signal18 at that point, thereby causing the locking-armature to be held up sothat the motorman of a car following in the rear is warned by thedanger-signal, and should he pass the point D his car would stop onentering the section for lack of current. In the same manner the circuitwas closed from the distant end of the third rail 1", over which thetrolley 14 is passing in the direction of the arrow, by the branchconductor 2, conductor 7, to the releasing-electromagnet l5, andelectric lamp or signal 18 at the point A, thus holding up thelocking-armature l7 and displaying a danger-signalat that point, therebypreventing the entrance of a car in that direction. The circuit was alsoclosed over the two branches of the crossing third rail 1" of the secondsystem by the branch conductors 2 and conductors7 7 to thereleasingmagnets 15 15 and lamps or signals'lS 18 at I the points E andH, thus displaying danger-v signals atthese points and preventing theentrance of a car uponthe crossing track in either direction.Consequently no car can enter in any direction upon the crossingsectionsuntil the car at present'passing over that'sectionhas passedbeyond the pointA and closed the circuit to the switch operatingmagnetfat that point of the section 'next'to the left of the point A, atwhich time all of the danger-signals will be restored to safety and allof the locking-armatures relea'sedin the same manner as has beendescribed in ation of the system illustrated in Fig. 1.

Referring now to-Figs. 4 and'5 of the drawings, 24 represents the base,and 27 the chair or support, of one of the insulators for the thirdrails and attached parts, said parts he connection with thedescriptionof the operconduit for the third rails r,the current feeder or main 0,and signaling and releasing con ductors 7 7. Thelower portion of thechair is provided Witha pettic'oat 28, adapted to entirely surround thesupporting-base 24:, and thereby prevent Water from reaching theinsulating-joint between the base and the chair. 31 and 32 are washersand sleeves, of vegetable fiber, adapted to effectually insulate thechair and its downwardly-extending petticoat from the base,thearrangement being such that when the bolt 30 is firmly screwed home allof the parts are securely held together and insulated from each other,after which the chamber 33 around the head of the bolt is filled withasphaltum or other insulating material which will harden. Theseinsulators are secured to the ties of the track, preferably outside ofthe tram-rails, by bolts 26 26, and withthe inner walls of the lateralsides 29 29, in alinement with each other, so as to receive the sidetimbers so so, each of which is composed of two parts, the lower portionbeing grooved, as shown, to receive in one instance the signaling andreleasing conductors 7'7 and in the other the current feeder or main 0.vf of are vegetable fiber or other insulating-blocks having notches intheir inner faces corresponding to the cross-section of the base of thethird railr,which in the present instance is similar to the ordinarytramrail. 34 34 are bolts having heads 35 and setnuts, as shown, theirfunction being to extend inward through the sides29 and the lowerportion of the side timbers so into openings in the in sulating-blocksof of in such manneras lateral faces and lower flange of the rail, afterwhich the set-nuts are secured so as to hold all of the parts.Additional bolts 34 are provided for the upper portions of the sidetimbers 8L. 5 5 are the circuit-closing rails or contacts hereinbeforereferred to, said rails or contacts being secured to the inner faces ofthe side timbers s2: and in such manner that when the trolley 14 is inthe position shown in the drawings the flange 23 thereof will bridge thespace between the particular circuit-closing rail or contact 5 and thethird rail 1*, dependent upon the direction in which the same is moving,it being apparent that if the trolley is lifted out of the conduit andreversed and lowered again into position the flange 23 will makeconnection on the other side, as shown in dotted lines. (See Fig. 4.)Referring again to Figs. 4- and 5 and also to Figs. 6 and 6, I willdescribe the manner of supporting and insulating the switchboxes and offorming the circuit connections between the switching apparatus thereinand the circuits of the system and in such manner as to arrive at thebest possible insulating effects for all of the parts. 37 is arectangular-shaped bracket cast integral with the chair 27, said brackethaving suificient area to support the switch-box 38 and its boxlikeprotecting-cover sb. In the upper face of the supporting-base of thechair and in the corresponding face of the bracket 37 is cast a channelor groove 36 of proper width and depth to hold the inleading ends of thesignaling and releasing conductors 7 7, the branch conductor 1, all ofthe other short conductors running to the switch-box, and the thirdrails and return-conductor, a hole or openinghaving been drilledorformedthrough the side 29 in alinement with the channel or groove forconveying said conductors therethrough. 38 represents theswitch-boxmhich is made, preferably, wholly of treated wood or otherinsulating material, such as vegetable fiber, and is open at its upperside, a groove 39 being formed around the upper edge, in the bottom ofwhich is located a metal bus-bar or wire 41, constituting a part of theearth or return-conductor of all of those conductors which run to earthor to the tram-rails gw, being the common return-wire from the bus-barof the tram-rails. (See Fig. 6.) This box 38 is provided with a hole oropening in its bottom, which is located directly over the outer end ofthe channel or groove 36, when the box is finally secured in positionupon the bracket 37 by screws, as shown. The switch-operating magnetsff, of horseshoe type, are secured directly to the inner wall of theswitch-box 38, with their poles facing each other, the yieldingconducting-terminals s 8 being secured directly to the inner wall of thebox also, so that their operating-armatures face the free poles of themagnets f f. The single switch-releasing magnet 15, also of horseshoetype, is secured within the inner wall of the switch-box and with itsfree poles directly opposite the locking-armatures 17, having hooks ornotches, as shown, and leaf-springs for normally holding said armaturesagainst back stops. The yielding conducting-terminals s s are providedat their free or contacting ends with a number of flexible fingersadapted to make yielding contact with the conducting part of thelocking-armatures' 17. 43 43 are sheets of insulating material securedto the faces of the hooked part of the arinatures'17, so as to preventany electrical contact between the terminals 5 and the armatures 17until the former are secured in their locked positions. It will benoticed that there are two independent armatures17, one for each pole ofthe releasing-magnet 15, instead of a single armature, as disclosed inFigs. 1, 2, and 3; but it will be understood that both of thesearmatures will be operated simultaneously by this magnet when either legof the horseshoe-core thereof is energized by a current flowing fromeither one of the signaling and of the drawings, said coils eachhavingsufii- Y cientmagnetizing capacity to effectually saturate the entirecore, as before stated in connection with Fig. 1. ais the manual switch,also illustrated in Fig. 7,-said switch being wholly within theswitch-box and adapted to enable a inotorman or other person on openingthe box to manually operate either of the yielding conducting-terminalss, dependent upon the direction in which the switch is moved. Thisswitch is used for connecting a third rail when a car has beeninadvertently run by a switch-box and upon the next sectional third railwhen the latter is dead, because of the presence of a car on a precedingsection, and may only be used after said preceding car has passed thenext switch-box in advance. In putting this part of the system togetherthe adjacent ends of the insulated signaling and releasing conductors 77, running in opposite directions from each switch, as shownin Figs. 1,2, 3, 7, and 8, are conveyed downward through the lower part of theirsupporting-timbers to the channel or groove 36 and thence to the opening40 in the bottom of the switch-box. In a similar manner the branchconductor 1, connected to the current feeder or main 0, is conveyeddownward in a groove in its supporting side timber to the same channelor groove, thence upward through the opening, 40 in the bottom of thebox. In like manner the conductors 2 3 and ground-wi re gw are conveyedthrough the same channel or groove into the switchbox through theopening 40 in the bottom thereof and the proper connections made attheir outer ends, after which the box is secured in place upon thebracket 37 by the screws extending through the bottom thereof, the headsof said screws being countersunk. Then the countersunk openings, thehole or opening 40, and the channel or groove 36 are all filled with hotliquid asphalt, which being provided within the inner surface of saidcover a downwardly-extending ledge 44,.

adapted to fit loosely within a groove 39, the arrangement being suchthat when said groove is filled with oil and the cover 80 secured inposition it (the cover) will act after the man-- nor of a diving-bellandprevent anymois-' ture from reaching any of the switch connections intheswitch-box, all of said connecinjuryto' the motors on board thecars,by

tions, together with the electromagnets and terminals, being preferablysecured. as near as possible to the upper or open edge ofthe box 38.

In Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings I have illustratedmy novel manner ofpreventing abnormal arcing at the ends ofadjoining sectional third railsand at the switching-terminals in the switch-boxes and also of avoidingreason of sudden changes of current potential, such as would ordinarilyoccur in con nection with third-rail systems using enormous currentvolumes, whereviolen t changes of current potential and quantitywouldnaturally result.

In Fig. 7 I have illustrated two adjoining 7 sectional third rails 'r, acurrent feeder or main 0, and tram-rails t, togetherwithswitching-electromagnets ff, releasing-magnet 15, and other circuitconnections similar in all respects to those disclosed in Figs. 1 to 3,inclusive, the circuit relations not being essentially difierent, exceptthat in the present instance I have included between the ends of theadjacent sectional third rails r 0" three short sectional rails on eachside of the breaknamely, r r r and r r r'-said short sectional rails r rr being connected together successively by resistances of, respectively,one hundred, two hundred, and three hundred ohms in the first instanceand three hundred, two hundred, and one hundred ohms in thesecond'instance. I have illustrated also a diagrammatic view of a cartraveling from left to right in the direction of the arrow and providedwith a motor m and trolley-shoe 14c, 16 representing one of thecar-wheels moving upon the tram-rail if. The circuit connections, in sofar as they relate to the system embracing the switches, &c., areidentically, as already indicated, the same as hereinbefore described inconnection with Figs. 1, 2, and 3. It will be noted,however, that withthe improvement in question when the trolley 14 passes from the thirdrail r to the short third rail r a resistance of one hundred ohms isplaced in circuit, and in like manner when it passes from the short railr which the car is entering. .the trolley passes from r to'r &c., theour to 1' aresist-ance of two hundredohms more isplacedin circuit, andwhen it passes from r to r a resistance of three hundred ohms moreis-placed in circuit, ora total of six hundre'dohms, so that-ifthevoltage of the system be, say, six hundred and the current-generatin gcapacityof the power-house generator six hundred amperes there will beflowing at the time that the trolley 14 passes onto the rail r oneampere, an amount of current which,

it willbe'understood, will not produce damag ing arcing between thetrolley 14; andthe short rail 1- as the former leaves thelatter. It willalso be apparent that when thecircuit: is closed through the shortconducting rail-or contact 5, conductor 3, and switching-magnet f thequantity of current flowingthrough the system'will' be such that-therewill be no damaging arcing in the switch-box at the terminal of theswitch located. at the other end of the section when thelocking-armature 17 at that-point isdrawn into its upper position andthe terminal released. As the trolley passes off section r therefore,there is little arcing, and-in like manner as it enters the next sectionthere can be no damage to the motor, owing to the fact that there isnow'six hundred ohms resistance between the short rails r r r and thesectional third rail 1", upon Consequently as rent will graduallyincrease through the motor, this upon'the suppositiomof'course, that thecontroller on board of the motor was so arm 1, to the free end of whichis secured the contacting arm 'y of the rheostat, said rheostatembracing sectional coils of from seventy-five to sixhundred ohms. 4: isthe conductor from the trolley 14 to the'motor m,

and 20 the controller; 16, the car-wheels, as

before, all of said parts, as before indicated, being carried by thecar. In the middle of the road-bed at each switcli-box is located adouble-inclined plane at of from sixty to one hundred feet in length andof such height as to cause the roller q to be. gradually lifted when acar is approaching a switch-box in either direction until the free endof the arm y is in the upper position, as shown in full lines. dp is adash-pot or retarding device connected by a link to with the arm Z forregu= lating the return of said arm to its normal position by the actionof the springo. With this modified form of the invention suppose a carto be traveling from left to right in the direction of the arrow. At thetime it reached the point at the extreme left-hand edge of the drawingthe arm Z was in its lower position IIO (shown in dotted lines) and therheostat was entirely cut out, so that on the supposition that thecontroller was in the position shown with all of the current on as thecar advanced the inclined plane 11 caused the roller q to lift the arm Zinto the upper position, thus gradually cutting in resistance of therheostat rh until the entire amount of resistance was thrown intocircuit, which occurred at the time that the car passed the switchbox,so that, as before, a minimum amount of current is flowing, andconsequently minimumarcing effects will result both at the adjoiningends of the third rails r'and at the terminals of the switch at thedistant end of the sectional third rail in the switch-box. Anoperating-handle is also shown connected to the free end of the arm Zforenabling the motorman to regulate the movements of said arm at will atpoints between the switchboxes or when it becomes necessary to cause thecurrent to flow to the motor m in less time than would result throughthe action of the dash-pot tip and spring r. It will of course beunderstood that with the apparatus illus trated in Figs. 7 and S forpreventing abnormal arcing at the ends of adjoining third rails and atthe switching-terminals in the switch-boxes it will be necessary thatthe car shall have sufficient momentum on approaching a switch-box tocarry it by the same, so.

I make no claim in the present application to any of the featureshereinbefore described, and shown in the accompanying drawings, whencombined with signaling apparatus, as these features constitute thesubject-matter of a divisional application filed by me in the UnitedStates Patent Oflice on the 25th of December, 1901, hearing Serial No.76,564; nor do I claim hereinafter any method of operation attributableto any of the structural apparatus disclosed in this application, as thegeneric methods of avoiding rear and front end collisions by thepractice or use of the apparatus herein disclosed are made thesubject-matter of a divisional application filed byme in the UnitedStates Patent Office on the 2d day of December, 1901, bearing Serial No.84,322; nor do I make any claim hereinafter to the method of avoidingabnormal arcing at the terminals where the sectional conductors areconnected to and disconnected from the current feeder or main byincreasing the resistance to the current or reducing the current-flowthrough such terminals as the current-collector passes from onesectional conductor to another, as this feature constitutes thesubject-matter of a still further divisional application filed by me inthe United States Patent Oflice on the 20th day of March, 1902, hearingSerial No. 99AM.

In still another application filed by me in the United States PatentOflice on the'5th day of December, 1900, bearing Serial No. 38,724, Ihave disclosed means for preventing front and rear endcollisions,wherein the sectional conductors are automatically connectedto a current feeder or main through the agency of mechanical switchescontrolled by the movement of a car and disconnected therefrom throughthe agency of electromagnetic devices included in safety or releasingcircuits extending to the front and rear in the same manner as thesafety and releasing circuits are disposed in the present application.In that application I have claimed means for preventing either front orrear end collisions, limiting the claims to mechanically-actuatedswitching devices. In the present application I have claimed, broadly, asafety system in which the sectional conductors are positively connectedor locked into connection with the current feeder or main by alocalsource of power or energy distinct from or independent of theworking source of current-supply and releasing devices included inreleasing-circuits,all so arranged that the switches are renderedtemporarily inoperative either inthe front or rear, or both, while a caris passing over a given section.

I have chosen to place the generic claims as to this structuralapparatus in the present application, because I deem electromagneticswitching devices like those disclosed in the present application to bepreferable to those where the switches are controlled mechanically, andthis for the reason that where the electromagnetic switching devices arecontrolled wholly by the working current as to their closure and as totheir release a greater element of safety enters than is possible withmechanically-actuated switching devices, it being apparent that undercertain conditions a car might pass a switch by its momentum after theworking current had been momentarily or temporarily cut ofi-as,forinstance, by the stoppage of the power-house dynamo and if the switchwere mechanically connected in that instance it would connect thesectional conductor to the working conductor, and thus make it possibleto cause a collision,while with electromagnetically-operated switchesoperating in the manner disclosed in the present application such acondition is practically impossible; nor do I limit myself to all of thedetails of invention hereinbefore described, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, as many of said details may be materiallydeparted from and still come within the scope of my claims,hereinaftermade, it being obvious that many of the features of my inventionhereinbefore described'maybe utilized in connection with disconnectedtherefrom and switching mechanism for locking said sectional conductorsto the current feeder or main as a car or vehicle passes by or over thesame; in combination with safety-circuits including devices forreleasing the conducting terminals of the switches, said safety-circuitsbeing permanently connectedto the negative pole of the power-housegenerator so as to'be normally without electrical current potential; theentire arrangement being such that when a car is passing by or over agiven sectional third rail or conductor the switch at the distant end.of the sectional third rail or conductor immediately in the rearthereof is rendered temporarily inoperative until the car passes out ofdisconnected therefrom and switching mechanism for locking saidsectional conductors to the current feeder or main as a car or vehiclepasses by or over the same; in combination with safety-circuits, two foreach sectional third rail or conductor, said safety-circuits ineludingdevices for releasing the conducting terminals of the switches and soconnected to the power-house'generator as to be normally withoutelectrical current potential, the en-- tire arrangement being such thatwhen a car is passing by or over a given sectional third rail orconductor the switches at the distant ends of the two adjacent sectionalthird rails or conductors are both rendered temporarily inoperativeuntil the car passes out of the section over which it is traveling,substantially as described.

3. A safety system of electric railways, embracing a current feeder ormain, a series of sectional third rails or conductors normallydisconnected therefrom and switching mechanism havingconducting-terminals for connecting said sectional conductors to thecurrent feeder or main as a car or vehicle passes by or over the same;in combination with releasing-electromagnets for the conductingswitchingdevices for connecting said sec tion'al conductors to the current feederor main as a car passes by or over the same; in combination withadditional conductors, two for each sectional third rail-or conductor,said additional conductors including electromagnetic devices forreleasing the conducting-terminals of the switches, the, entirearrangement being such that when a car is passing by or over a givensectional third rail or conductor the switches at the distant ends ofthe two adjacent sectional third rails or conductors are both renderedtemporarily inoperative until the car passes out of the section overwhich it is traveling, substantially as described.

5. A system of electric railways embracing a current feeder or main, aseries of sectional third rails or conductors normally disconnectedtherefrom and electromagnetic switching devices havingconducting-terminals for connecting said sectional conductors to thecurrent'feeder or main as a car passes by or over the same; incombination with releasing-electromagnets for disconnecting theterminals of the switches, the individual coils of saidreleasing-magnets being included in circuit with conductors running inopposite directions and connected to earth andto the adjacent ends ofdistant sectional third rails or conductors, substantially as described.

6. An electric-railway system embracing a current feeder or main; aseries of sectional third rails or conductors for a main track nor- ICOmally disconnected from the current feeder or Y main and a siding havinga third rail or conductor adapted to be connected in circuit with thecurrent feeder ormain; in combination with switching devices and circuitconnections whereby when a car approaches within a definite distance ofthe siding it obtains control of the operating-current for a section ofthe main track until it passes upon the siding adjacent thereto;together with additional means for restoring the circuit condition ofthe sectional conductor of the main track to normal, the arrangementbeing such that no other car can approach the siding in either directionuntil the first-named car has been side-tracked and the circuitsrestored to normal condition, substantially as described.

7. An electric-railway system embracing a current feeder or main; aseries of section-a1 third rails or conductors for a main track nor--mally disconnected from the current feeder or main and a siding havinga third rail or conductor adapted to be connected in circuit with thecurrent feeder or main; in combination with switching devices soarranged that when a car approaches within a definite distance of thesiding it obtains control of the working current for the sectionadjacent to the siding and in such manner that no car can approach ineither direction until the first-named car has passed upon the siding,-substantially as described,

8. In an electric-railway system a current feeder or main, two or moresectional third rails or conductors normally disconnected therefrom andswitching mechanism adapted to connect said sectional conductors to anddisconnect them from the current feeder or main as a car passes over theroute; together with a siding and circuit connections therefor soarranged that when a car passes within a definite distance of the sidingit obtains absolute control of the working current for that sectionuntil said car has passed upon the siding; and additional means forrestoringthe electrical conditions of the third rails of the main trackto normal after the car has been properly side-tracked, substantially asdescribed.

9. A safety system of electric railways embracing a current feeder ormain; a series of sectional third rails or conductors normallydisconnected therefrom and switching mechanism for connecting saidsectional conductors to the current feeder or main as a car or vehiclepasses by or over the same; in. combination with a drawbridge carrying asectional third rail or conductor and circuits and circuit connectionsrelatively so arranged with relation to one of the first-named sectionalthird rails or conductors that when the drawbridge is moved from itsnormal or closed position a car is prevented from approaching either endthereof, substantially as described.

10. A safety system of electric railways embracing a current feeder ormain; a series of sectional third rails or conductors normallydisconnected therefrom and switching mechanism for connecting saidsectional conductors to the current feeder or main as a car or vehiclepasses by or over the same; in combination with a drawbridge carrying asectional third rail or conductor and circuits and circuit connectionsrelatively so arranged with relation to one of the first named sectionalthird rails or conductors that when the drawbridge is moved from itsnormal or closed position no working current can be supplied to anapproaching car for a definite distance from either end of the bridge,substantially as described.

11. A safety system of electric railways embracing a current feeder ormain; a series of sectional third rails or conductors normallydisconnected therefrom and switching mechanism for connecting saidsectional conductors to the current feeder or main as a car or vehiclepasses by or over the same; in combination with a drawbridge carrying asectional third rail or conductor, circuits and circuit connections andlocking mechanism, all so arranged that when a car approaches either endof said bridge within a definite distance the latter is locked or heldso that it cannot be disturbed until after the car has crossed thebridge or passed out of the section which includes the bridge,substantially as described.

12. In a safety system of electric railways a current feeder or main; aseries of sectional third rails or conductors normally disconnectedtherefrom; switching devices for connecting said sectional conductors toand disconnecting them from the current feeder or main as a car orvehicle passes over the route; in combination with a similar systemcrossing the first-named system; together with switching devices,circuits and circuit connections for both systems, so arranged that whena car reaches a definite point from the crossing in either direction itprevents any other car, approaching in any direction on either of thefour intersecting branches, from advancing toward the crossing beyond adefinite distance until the first-named car has crossed, sub

stantially as described.

13. Two systems of electric railways embracing each a current feeder ormain; a series of sectional third rails or conductors normallydisconnected therefrom; switching devices for connecting said sectionalthird rails or conductors to and disconnecting them from the currentfeeders or mains; in combination with electrical circuits and circuitconnections for the two systems so interconnected and arranged that whena car reaches a definite point from the crossing in either direction itobtains absolute control of the working current of both systems andprevents any car from approaching the crossing upon anytional-third-rail type embracing a current feeder or main and switchingdevices for connecting the third-rail sections to the current feeder ormain; in combination with circuitclosing rails or contacts located atthe adjoining ends of the sectional third rails or conductors and onopposite sides thereof; together with a reversible trolley, thearrangement being such that the sectional third rails are connected tothe current feeder or main in advance of the trolley no matter in whichdirection the latter maybe moving, substantially as described.

15. In a sectional-third-rail system of electric railways a series ofinsulators; in combination with a series of sectional third rails orconductors and a series of water-tight switchboxes includingelectromagnetic switching mechanism; together with a current feeder ormain, all of said parts being supported or sustained by said insulators,the switch-boxes being constructed of insulating material and eachprovided with an opening at its bottom through which all of the circuitconnections are effected; together with a removable watertight coveradapted to prevent the admission of water after the manner of adiving-bell, substantially as described.

16. Means for preventing arcing at the ends of adjacentsectional-third-rail sections of a third-rail system of electricrailways and at its the terminals in the switch-boxesthereof,consistingof a variable resistance and circuit connections soarranged that as a car approaches the adjacent ends of two third railsthe current supplied to the motor is reduced to a minimum and againrestored to normal conditions after the switch is operated,substantiallyas described.

17. An electric-railway system embracing a current feeder or main; aseries of sectional third rails or conductors normally disconnectedtherefrom; switching devices for connecting said sectional third railsor conductors to and-disconnecting them from the current feeder or main;in combination with a car provided with a'trolley or contact-shoe forconveying current to a motor on board thereof; together with meansadapted to automatically lower the current potential at theswitch-terminals and at the junction of the third-rail sections orconductors each time the trolley or contact-shoe passes from onesectional third rail or conductor to another, substantially asdescribed.

18. In a sectional third rail system of elec tric railways means forpreventing abnormal arcing at the ends of adjacentthird rails and at theswitching=terminals in the switch-boxes, consisting of a variableresistance carried by a car; in combination with means located in oradjacent to the road-bed for automatically causing said variableresistance to be gradually inserted in circuit with the motor on boardthe car until a minimum flow results at the time that the junction ofthe third rails is passed, and to correspondingly increase the currentflow from the next adjacent third rail to the motor until a maximum flowis obtained, substantially as described.

19. In a safety system of electric railways a current feeder or main; adrawbridge carrying a sectional conductor constituting a part of theservice-conductor for supplying current to the motor on board a car asit passes over the same, when in closed position; in combination withlooking mechanism and circuits operatively connected therewith and soarranged that after a car approaches within a definite distance ofeither end of the bridge, the latter is locked so that it, cannot bemoved from its normal position; substantially as described.

20. A sectional-third-rail safety system of electric railways providedwith switching mechanism for effecting electrical connection of thethird rails to and disconnection thereof from the current feeder ormain;in combination with means for securing said third rails adjacent to theroad-bed; together with a protecting-conduit for said rails consistingof side timbers located on opposite sides thereof and provided withmeans for efiectually securing and protecting the current feeder or mainand other conductors, substantially as described.

21. A safety system of electric railways embracing a current feeder ormain, a series of sectional third rails or conductors, aprotecting-conduit consisting of side timbers located on opposite sidesof. said third rails or conductors and having channelsor grooves forconcealing the conductors of the system; in combination withswitch-boxes inclosing switching devices for connecting the sectionalconductors to and disconnecting them from thecurrent feeder or main;together with a series'of insulators supporting all of said CHARLES J.KINTNER.

Witnesses:

JAMES P. J. MORRIS, M. F. KEATING.

